Partition Magic can also be known as a non-destructive partitioning tool. It allows a user to partition a hard drive that has data on it without destroying them but moving them around instead. On the other hand, FDISK is a destructive partitioning tool as it destroys all data in order to partition a hard disk.

It is useful when:

1. You want to try out a new Operating System such as Linux or Windows XP but don’t want to do it completely as you’re more confortable with Windows 98 that you have currently.

2. You can to create a separate partition where you will save all your documents in while the primary partition is for the existing Operating System and Program Files.

Partition Magic installs like other Microsoft Windows software, it is quite standard. Here, I’ll show you how to partition a hard drive that has already 2 partitions, a C:\ and D:\ but let’s understand more on partitioning first.

A Hard disk drive must have a Primary Partition, this will become on normal circumstances known as the C:\ if you want more partitions, you will have to create a Extended drive and all other partitions known as the Logical Drives will be created on this extended drive. When I say drive I actually means the same hard disk. It all happens on one single hard disk, it’s like telling the PC that you have a few drives in the PC and giving them a separate drive letters (D:\ E:\ etc).

See screen shot above, 1 is the C:\ and contains the Operating System, in my case Windows XP while 2 is D:\ and contains personal files. Both display the filing system as FAT32. Now I want to create another separate partition from E:\

Right Click on E:\ and choose Resize/ Move

The above screen shot will appear, I want a 1Gb partition to be created from this existing partition so I’ll create it after the existing partition. Under the Free Space After field, I type in 1000mb as follows:

Ok, it won’t stay as 1000Mb as see, each cluster of the hard disk drive is given a small amount of space, you need not worry, Partition Magic will round it up or down to the required (1 Gb) size you specify.

Click OK when done.

Now notice that a small amount of space is generate out of the existing E:\ This will become your new partition.

Now you just need to right click it, choose Create

Leave the Create as field as it is, a Logical Partition and change the Partition Type to FAT32. You can also state your own Label or Drive letter if you desire. Click OK when done.

Now see! You have created a new Partition F:\

You will now click on Apply Changes located on the bottom right corner of Partition Magic.

Here’s the choice of no return, clicking Yes will restart the PC and Partition Magic will do it’s work of resizing the existing parition E:\ smaller by 1 Gb at the end of it, and create F:\ all on it’s own.

When the PC restarts, Drive Mapper will run and help you to rename your drives and any references to your drives as a new drive F:\ is create, your CDROM drives’s letter may need changes to accommodate this. This will not harm your system and is done automatically.